Though
it seems as if there are two works here† - and really there
are Ė the Caprices and Sonata seem to have been conjoined
by Karg-Elert into one vast canvas lasting seventy-three
minutes. You might have expected say Marcel Mule or Sigurd
Rascher to have been the recipient of a work this demanding
but apparently the composer was writing in isolation of
any external virtuosic presence. Which perhaps makes it
all the more of an Olympus to climb.

It
was written in 1929, a few years before Karg-Elertís death.
He left questions of registration almost entirely up to
the individual performer and the intrepid Christian Peters
avails himself naturally enough of soprano, alto, tenor
and baritone Ė it might have been a nice idea to have heard
the C-melody given its vogue in the 1920s and early 1930s.
The ones the composer specifically requested to be played
in a certain key are Caprices Nos. IX and XV, which he
hoped would be played on the soprano Ė and are.

The
obvious initial starting points are Bach and Paganini.
But the Caprices do go well beyond the question of technique
to embrace some formidably difficult expressive states
which call for a commanding legato and sense of characterisation.
No.III for instance is to be played languide and
thatís just how it sounds. Thereís a ruminative Consolation (on
bass) and an airy gigue for No. V played on the tenor.
The Ragtime vogue, a bit passť in 1929, was met by a rather
squawky movement. Itís not really a Rag at all. Burlesque
humour is not omitted Ė try the comedia dellíarte antics
of No. IX played as intended on the soprano. Thereís a
Chaconne of glancing depth [No. XII] which itself seems
to glance at Purcellís Dido and Aeneas, though it
also has a faster section of etude like velocity and virtuosity.
Karg-Elertís humour runs from sarcastic to wintry to perplexing
at times like this. No. XVI is tinged with elegiac motifs
but XIX, Tarantelle e Sizilienne, is tuneful and
avian.

The
Sonata clearly offers greater room for expansion after
the compression of the Caprices but it clearly inhabits
the same sound world and forms a fitting conclusion to
the cycle. There is fanfare confidence and a non-stop,
breath-wrenching scherzo Ė yes indeed itís marked Scherzo
demoniaco. The slow movement is the most compelling Ė curiously
fugitive and haunted.

Itís
a test of stamina and projection to take a work this long
and bring it to life. Peters succeeds with real brio and
panache. This is hard, though never off putting stuff.
I have to say itís more for saxophone aficionados than
the general run of listeners but if you were unaware of
the protean Karg-Elertís interest in the saxophone here
is a welcoming port of call.

Review
IndexesBy
Label Select a label and
all reviews are listed in Catalogue orderBy
MasterworkLinks
from composer names (eg Sibelius) are to resource pages with links to
the review
indexes for the individual works as well as other resources.

Reviews
from previous monthsJoin the mailing list and receive a hyperlinked weekly update on the
discs reviewed. detailsWe welcome feedback on our reviews. Please use the Bulletin
Board
Please paste in the first line of your comments the URL of the review to
which you refer.